The origin of the lantern festival

Lantern Festival, also known as Shangyuan Festival, Lantern Festival or Lantern Festival, is one of the traditional festivals in China, Chinese character cultural circle and overseas Chinese. The origin of this festival can be traced back to the Western Han Dynasty. On the 15th day of the first month, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty held an activity of offering sacrifices to "Taiyi", and this festival was gradually taken seriously. There are many versions about the origin of Lantern Festival. One of them is a story about Dong Fangshuo and Yuanxiao, a maid-in-waiting who was loved by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Dong Fangshuo set up a divination pavilion on Chang 'an Avenue and predicted that "the 16th day of the first month will burn us to death", which caused panic in Chang 'an. Dong Fangshuo suggested that the maid-in-waiting Yuanxiao give jiaozi to the Vulcan monarch on the 15th night, and let people hang lights and set off fireworks to create the illusion of fire, thus deceiving the Jade Emperor and saving Chang 'an from disaster. From then on, on the fifteenth day of the first month, people will hang up lights and set off fireworks to celebrate this festival. Another legend is that Emperor Hanming advocated Buddhism and ordered lanterns to be lit in palaces and temples on the 15th night of the first month to show the Buddha, thus gradually spreading this custom in China. It is also said that the Lantern Festival originated from "Torch Festival" and Taoism's "Ternary Theory". Generally speaking, the origin of Lantern Festival is closely related to China's ancient religious beliefs, cultural traditions and social customs, with rich cultural connotations and historical significance.